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New World War 1 Play Commissioned by Hyde Festival Theatre

Started by madgebayes, February 26, 2014, 05:23:03 PM

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madgebayes

The Hyde Festival Theatre Company, the theatre's in-house professional company,  whose productions have included new writing (Einstein's Daughter) and classic theatre (Miss Julie)  will, in partnership with Tameside Council Cultural Services, be bringing to the stage this coming autumn a brand new play to commemorate the anniversary of the start of The First World War.

What better way to do it than to commission a play about WWI inspired by local soldiers who were members of The Manchester Regiment who took part?

We are pleased to announce that national award winning writer, Rob Johnston who has worked closely with us in the past (Einstein's Daughter, Miss Julie adaptation) has agreed to take on this task.

Casting is yet to be completed but those cast so far, have between them, worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre, The Royal Exchange Theatre, the New Vic and Shakespeare's Globe. Working with directors such as Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire).

1915. The Great War rages on. Hundreds of thousands have already enlisted. Hundreds of thousands more want to and will.

But not every man who wants to enlist can. Some are too old. Or too thin. Or have poor eyes. Or poor hearing. Or a bad leg. Or ... the list goes on.

Unable to enlist, they must remain at home to endure accusations of cowardice, humiliation on every street, white-feathers in the morning-post.

Until finally, these men are offered a way out.

They are invited by to form a Bantam Battalion, a rag-bag group of irregular soldiers, deemed to be not like other soldiers, not quite fit enough to be soldiers, though soldiers nonetheless. But more than that. Soldiers who could have stayed out of The Great War. Stayed safe. Stayed alive. And chose not to. Chose instead to take part in the most appalling, most destructive, most deadly conflict the world had ever seen.

Bantams plays from Tuesday September 30th to Saturday October 4th at 7.30 pm with the addition of matinee performances on Wednesday October 1st and Saturday October 4th at 2.30 pm.

Booking is now open. Click on this link http://www.hydefestivaltheatre.org.uk/page6.html to take you to our web site and click on "Buy Tickets" or telephone 0844 8042634

DISCOUNT FOR EARLY BOOKING. BOOK BY APRIL 30TH AND RECEIVE £1 OFF EVERY TICKET. USE THE DISCOUNT CODE BANTAMS1418 TO OBTAIN YOUR DISCOUNT.

sphinx

Madge,

Bantam Battalion, a rag-bag group of irregular soldiers, deemed to be not like other soldiers, not quite fit enough to be soldiers, though soldiers nonetheless

They were no such thing.  I think you should have done a little more research on Bantam Battalions!

regards

timberman

50,000 men made up Bantam Battalions
our own Manchester Regiment had one :)

23rd (Service) Battalion (8th City)
Formed in Manchester on 21 November 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City as a Bantam Battalion. Moved to Morecambe in December 1914.
June 1915 : moved to Masham and placed under command of 104th Brigade in 35th Division. Moved to salisbury Plain in August 1915.
January 1916 : landed at Boulogne.
Ceased to be a Bantam Battalion early in 1917.
16 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

http://www.1914-1918.net/whatbantam.htm

What was a bantam, or a bantam unit?

The bantam is a fighting cock; small but hardy and aggressive.

The formation of the bantams

In 1914 the Member of Parliament for Birkenhead, Alfred Bigland, pressed the War Office for permission to form a battalion of men who were under regulation size but otherwise fit for service. A few days later, some 3,000 men had volunteered, many of whom had previously been rejected as being under height.

The original men were formed into the 1st and 2nd Birkenhead Battalions of the Cheshire Regiment (later redesignated the 15th and 16th Bns). Other regiments began to recruit similarly: the Lancashire Fusiliers, West Yorkshires, Royal Scots, and Highland Light Infantry most notably. Many of the recruits were miners. Eventually these units were formed into the 35th Division.

Another Division, the 40th, had a mixture of bantam and regulation units, although it is generally recognised as a bantam formation.

The bantams were very popular at home and were often featured in the press. However, by the end of 1916, it was found that the general fitness and condition of men volunteering as bantams was no longer up to the standard required. Brigades were informed that no more undersized men would be accepted, and the Divisions lost their bantam status as replacements diluted the number of small men in the mix.

Timberman

mack

hiya madge
welcome to the forum,thanks for telling us about this,i,me sorry but I have to agree with sphinx[simon]the Manchester bantams were a tough bunch of fellows,many came from the mining or iron working community,they were initially rejected because of the height restrictions imposed by the army,but when these restrictions were lifted,they enlisted in droves.

mack ;D
good luck with the play

madgebayes

There is always going to be some dramatic license. It might be an idea to come and see the play in October and then you will have a better idea of its theme. This will be a play about specific (fictional) individuals both on The Western Front and back home. It will certainly not be an "Oh What A Lovely War" or an "Accrington Pals".

The inspiration is stories which we have come across in our research then used for a dramatic purpose.

george.theshed197

'The inspiration is stories which we have come across in our research then used for a dramatic purpose.'

With all due respect Madge - we in this Forum deal with HISTORICAL FACTS - NOT INSPIRATION ..

Researched by eminent historians over the many years of The Regiments existence.

George.

Tim Bell

Following one Platoon and everything around them....
[url="http://17thmanchesters.wordpress.com/about/"]http://17thmanchesters.wordpress.com/about/[/url]

madgebayes

Inspiration - facts?? At the end of the day this play also has to engage. With all due respect, if I only need facts I might as well read a book or attend a lecture, both of which could be fascinating but on their own wouldn't necessarily make for great entertainment as part of a play.

sphinx

Tameside Cultural Service also run the Manchester Regiment Museum in Ashton.

This seems at odds with that by misrepresenting the Bantams as the lame and sick when the Museum staff are trying to educate the public with the facts.

Captain Bonner should be in on this and feed it back to those in charge there.

regards